System and method for bandwidth on demand for internet service providers

ABSTRACT

A telecommunications system and method for increasing communications bandwidth for an Internet Service Provider (“ISP”) to accommodate temporary fluctuations in demand. The present invention utilizes an Advanced Intelligent Network (“AIN”) to re-direct calls from a subscriber to an ISP from the ISP&#39;s modem pools to a shared modem pool operated by a telephone service provider (“telco”) when the ISP needs additional bandwidth. The shared modem pool is controlled by an access server and a remote authentication dial-in user service server managed by the telco. The telco servers identify the identified ISP to receive the call by looking at the original number dialed by the caller. The telco servers then communicate with the proper ISP which determines whether or not the caller is a valid subscriber of the ISP.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems.More particularly, the present invention relates to an advancedintelligent network system for providing flexible bandwidth to anInternet Service Provider commensurate with the demands for dial-upaccess to the Internet Service Provider's resources.

2. Background of the Invention

Over the last ten years, use of the Internet has grown rapidly. A largesegment of this growth stems from an increase in individual dial-upsubscribers. These dial-up subscribers use the public switched telephonenetwork (“PSTN”) to establish connections to their Internet ServiceProviders (“ISPs”). FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating how thesedial-up subscribers, or users, connect to their ISPs using PSTN 10. Tosupport multiple connections, ISPs must maintain numerous telephonelines connected to modems. Rather than advertising a different telephonenumber for each telephone line, ISPs generally advertise a limitednumber of telephone access numbers. Each telephone access numbercorresponds to one or more telephone lines. These telephone lines may bemade up of, e.g., individual POTS lines, one or more T1 lines, orPrimary Rate Integrated Services Digital Network (“PRI”) lines. Forsimplicity, the figures and discussion herein show the connections to bemade up of PRI lines.

As shown in FIG. 1, ISP 20 may provide multiple telephone accessnumbers, each corresponding to PRI lines connected to multi-line huntgroups (“MLHGs”). MLHGs are modem pools allowing multiple simultaneousconnections to the ISP via a single telephone access number. Amulti-line hunt group takes incoming subscriber calls and routes them tothe first open modem in the modem pool. FIG. 1 shows four sets of PRIlines 26-29 connected to four MLHGs 22 a-22 d, respectively. The MLHGsare controlled by access server 23. When caller 30 dials one of ISP 20'stelephone access numbers (using computer 31, modem 32 and subscriberline 33), PSTN 10 processes the call like any other call. That is, thecall is routed between caller 30 and the called party (in this case, ISP20) through one or more service switching points (“SSPs” or “switches”).If the lines corresponding to the dialed telephone access number are allbusy, or “off-hook”, i.e., there are no voice communications pathsavailable, the caller gets a busy signal, which is provided by PSTN 10.

If lines are available, the ISP's switch, SSP 12 in FIG. 1, terminatesthe call. Access server 23 answers the call and determines whether ornot the caller is a valid ISP subscriber. If the caller is valid, thenaccess server 23 must determine which services the caller should haveaccess to. Access server 23 queries caller 30 for information such as ausername and password for use in validating caller 30 and determiningcaller 30's authorized services. The dialog between caller 30 and accessserver 23 is usually performed automatically between access server 23and communications software operating on computer 31.

Generally, ISPs use centralized servers to store and manage theirsubscriber databases. Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service(“RADIUS”) server 24, having database 24 a, is functionally connected toaccess server 23 and provides this centralized management. Thus, accessserver 23 collects username and password information from caller 30 andpasses it on to RADIUS server 24. After RADIUS server 24 verifies caller30's username and password, it provides access server 23 withconfiguration information specific to caller 30. Access server 23 usesthe configuration information to provide the authorized services tocaller 30. Access servers and RADIUS servers are described in moredetail in commonly assigned U.S. patent application, Ser. No.09/133,299, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.Additional information on access servers and RADIUS servers may be foundin Rigney et al., Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS),Network Working Group, January, 1997, or in Rigney et al., RADIUSAccounting, Network Working Group, April, 1997.

An ISP incurs great costs for purchasing and maintaining thetelecommunications infrastructure needed to operate its business. TheISP must pay its local telephone service provider (“telco”) for eachtelephone line maintained. Additionally, the ISP must purchase andmaintain MLHGs and the associated modems for the groups. Finally, theISP must manage and balance the load on each of its MLHGs in order toprovide efficient connections for its subscribers. Due to the high costof purchasing and maintaining the infrastructure, it is desirable for anISP to provide only as many lines and modems as are required toaccommodate its subscribers' demand.

It is well known in the art that not all subscribers connect to theirISPs at the same time. Additionally, not all subscribers connect everyday, nor do they connect for the same length of time each session. Forthis reason, it is not cost-effective for ISPs to provide a 1:1 ratio oflines to subscribers. Instead, ISPs have developed formulas to determinethe appropriate number of telephone lines required. In general, atelephone line to user ratio of at least 1:10 provides an acceptablelevel of service. However, as Internet usage continues to grow, it isbecoming more difficult to predict the requirements for telephone linesinto an ISP. Thus, a need exists for a system and method to balance thecompeting interests of reducing ISP costs and providing acceptablelevels of service for ISP subscribers. A further need exists for asystem and method providing ISPs with flexible access to increasedtelephone lines and modems, i.e., increased bandwidth, as the needarises to support the ISPs' customers. A system and method is needed toprovide such flexible bandwidth on demand for ISP's withoutsignificantly increasing the complexity or costs for ISP operations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a system and method allowing ISPs todynamically expand the number of telephone lines and modems available toISP subscribers dialing into ISP systems. The present invention utilizesan Advanced Intelligent Network (“AIN”) to provide an automated systemand method for providing this flexible bandwidth to ISPs. AIN systemsare described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,301, U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,533 andBellcore Specification TR-NWT-001284, Switching Systems GenericRequirements for AIN 0.1, which are incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety. FIG. 2 shows the important components of the AIN used inthe present invention. The steps described herein can be performed bycomputer-readable program code operating on the various AIN componentsand other computer systems, as described below.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an AIN automaticflexible route (“AFR”) trigger is provisioned on the trunk group in SSP212 providing PRI lines 226 into ISP 220. The PRI lines are connected toMLHG 222 at the ISP, which is reached by dialing the correspondingtelephone access number. The trigger is activated when a subscriberdials the telephone access number and there are no open lines available.In response to the trigger, a database query goes from SSP 212 toservice control point (“SCP”) 215 via ss7 network 213. SCP 215 writesthe contents of the called party number (“CdPN”) field, i.e., the dialedISP telephone access number, into the calling party number (“CgPN”)field and specifies a new location to forward the call with instructionsto monitor the call for termination status. The call is thus forwardedto the telco's shared modem pool, MLHG 219, without losing the ISPtelephone access number dialed by the subscriber. In this manner, thetelco's proxy RADIUS server 217 can determine which ISP the call will bedirected to.

Acting on the instructions from SCP 215, SSP 212 forwards the call setupmessage to SSP 214 since that SSP serves the telco's shared modem pool,MLHG 219. SSP 214 terminates the call to MLHG 219, provided a line isavailable. If the call is terminated, SSP 212 informs the SCP asrequested by the termination notification message. Upon receipt of theinformational message, the SCP updates a database used to track thenumber of users from the ISP using the telco's shared modem pool.

Access server 218 records the CgPN and answers the call. Proxy RADIUSserver 217 looks up the ISP domain based on the CgPN and routes theinformation to the ISP's RADIUS server 224. RADIUS server 224 theninitiates the point-to-point protocol session with the subscriber tovalidate the username and password.

When the caller'session ends, i.e., when the call is disconnected, SSP212 sends the SCP an informational message in response to the previoustermination notification request. Again, the SCP uses the information toupdate its database to track the number of callers from each ISP usingthe telco's shared modem pool. This information provides the telco withany data necessary to manage the service. For example, the telco maycharge ISPs for each session connected through the shared modem pool. Inanother example, the ISP may “subscribe” to a service allowing apre-defined number of overflow customers. Once the slots for that ISPare in use, subsequent callers will receive a busy signal. The telco cancreate reports for analyzing usage trends for each ISP. For example, ifone ISP is historically using a large portion of the shared modem pool,the telco may use the information in a marketing strategy to sellincreased permanent bandwidth to the ISP.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automated systemfor increasing an ISP's capacity for dial-up subscribers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide ISPs increasedbandwidth on demand according to the ISPs' requirements.

It is another object of the present invention to use an AdvancedIntelligent Network to provide efficient allocation oftelecommunications resources among multiple ISPs.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system toincrease Internet subscribers' chances of obtaining a connection totheir ISPs.

It is another object of the present invention to provide increasedbandwidth to an ISP in a manner transparent to the ISP's subscribers.

These and other objects of the present invention are described ingreater detail in the detailed description of the invention, theappended drawings and the attached claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the systems and methods usedto accommodate dial-up subscribers in the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the main components of an AIN usedin an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 2 shows the key components of the AIN used in the presentinvention. Such AIN components include one or more switches, SSP 211,212 and 214, SCP 215, and Common Channel Signaling System 7 (“SS7”)network 213. SSP 211 serves caller 230 who is connected via subscriberline 233. Caller 230 uses computer 231 and modem 232 to dial into ISP220 for connection to Internet 240. ISP 220 has MLHG 222, connected toSSP 212 via PRI lines 226. MLHG 222 is controlled by access server 223,which uses RADIUS server 224 for central management of ISP 220'ssubscriber accounts. RADIUS server 224 has database 224 a as shown inFIG. 2.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an AutomaticFlexible Route (“AFR”) trigger is provisioned on SSP 212 for the trunkgroup supporting PRI lines 226. As noted above, when caller 230 dialsthe telephone access number for ISP 220, the AFR trigger will beactivated only if all lines in the trunk group are busy. If a line isavailable, SSP 212 terminates the call to MLHG 222, and ISP 220processes the call directly. However, if all of the lines in the trunkgroup are busy, the AFR trigger prompts SSP 212 to issue a databasequery to SCP 215. The database query is a standard AIN query andcontains information such as a CgPN field and a CdPN field.

SCP 215 responds to the query by checking database 215a for routingdirections and updates a counter tracking the number of calls that havebeen rerouted for 220. If the counter indicates that ISP 220 has no moreslots reserved in shared modem pool 219, SCP 215 instructs SSP 212 toissue a busy signal. In a preferred embodiment, SCP 215 updates anothercounter tracking the number of rejected callers and sends periodicreports to ISP 220's RADIUS server 224 via a gateway server (not shownin FIG. 2). ISP 220 can use the information to determine if morehardware is necessary either within its own network, or if more slotsshould be purchased from the telco. Additionally, in a preferredembodiment, RADIUS server 224 can dynamically increase or decrease thenumber of reserved slots by sending authorization to SCP 215 via thegateway server.

After determining that ISP 220 has an available slot, SCP 215 continuesprocessing its response to SSP 212's database query by replacing theCgPN with the CdPN and replacing the CdPN with a telephone access numberfor the telco's shared modem pool. For example, if the ISP's telephoneaccess number is “222-222-1000,” the telco's shared modem pool, MLHG219, has telephone access number “222-333-1000,” and caller 230'stelephone directory number is “222-444-1000.” The database query fromSSP 212 would contain the following information:

CgPN=“2224441000” and CdPN=“2222221000.” In contrast, the response fromSCP 215 would contain the following information: CgPN=“2222221000” andCdPN=“2223331000.”

SCP 215 completes its response to SSP 212 by instructing SSP 212 toforward the call to the new CdPN and to monitor the call status. In apreferred embodiment, SCP 215 sends a Forward_Call instruction and aSend_Notification instruction. In response to the Forward_Callinstruction and the new CdPN, SSP 212 forwards the call setup message toSSP 214 for processing. In response to the Send_Notification, SSP212will inform SCP 215 of when the call is terminated, (dropped for anreason). This information is used by SCP 215 to update the countersdiscussed above.

Once the call is connected to MLHG 219, the telco's shared resources,i.e., MLHG 219, access server 218 and proxy RADIUS server 217 processthe call in lieu of processing by ISP 220. Access server 218 answers thecall and informs Proxy RADIUS server 217 of the CgPN and the port onwhich the call was connected. Proxy RADIUS server 217 looks up the CgPNin database 217 a to determine which ISP the call should be routed to.Based on the CgPN, SCP 215 determines that the call is for ISP 220 so amessage is sent to RADIUS server 224. The message informs RADIUS server224 of the subscriber's port and instructs RADIUS server 224 to initiatethe point-to-point protocol session with the subscriber to validate theusername and password.

RADIUS server 224 communicates with access server 218 via router 216.Access server 218 prompts caller 230 for the usual information, such asusername and password. Access server 218 thus operates in place ofaccess server 223. Caller 230 is unaware of the changed routing for thecall and is unaware that the access server processing the call is notone managed by the ISP. Access server 218 sends the username, passwordand CgPN to RADIUS server 224 for authentication.

As shown in FIG. 2, router 216 functionally separates the variousnetwork connections to multiple ISPs. FIG. 2 shows ISPs 220, 250, 260,270 and 280 connected to router 216 via interconnects 221, 241, 251,261, 271 and 281, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, theseinterconnects comprise frame relay circuits forming “private” high-speedconnections between the ISPs and the telco. Because proxy RADIUS server217 supports multiple ISPs, each call coming into MLHG 219 must identifythe caller's ISP. Proxy RADIUS server 217 has a database (not shown)listing the telephone access numbers for each ISP it serves. Using thisdatabase and the CgPN received from access server 218, proxy RADIUSserver 217 is able to identify the proper ISP.

Proxy RADIUS server 217 forwards the username and password informationon to the ISP's RADIUS server for verification. For example, since theCgPN is “2222221000,” proxy RADIUS server 217 looks in the database anddetermines that caller 230 is trying to access ISP 220. Thus, proxyRADIUS server 217 sends caller 230's username and password on to RADIUSserver 224. RADIUS server 224 verifies the information and informs proxyRADIUS server 217 of the result. If the username and password are valid,proxy RADIUS server 217 instructs access server 218 to grant access tothe caller,. using configuration information provided by RADIUS server224. If the username and password are invalid, proxy RADIUS server 217instructs access server 218 to deny access to the caller.

As noted above, SCP 215 keeps track of the number of subscribers fromeach ISP using the telco's shared resources for access. This informationmay be used in a variety of ways. For example, the telco may generatebills to the ISPs for “renting” the telco's resources. Such bills couldbe generated to charge the ISP according the minutes used by itssubscribers during the billing period. Alternatively, the bills could begenerated based on the number times the shared modem pool was accessedby an ISP subscriber. The telco may also use the information in salesand marketing strategies in dealing with its ISP customers. The data mayhelp ISPs identify usage trends and could be used to project futurerequirements for subscriber support.

The foregoing disclosure of embodiments of the present invention hasbeen presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise formsdisclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodimentsdescribed herein will be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art inlight of the above disclosure. The scope of the invention is to bedefined only by the claims appended hereto, and by their equivalents.

What I claim is:
 1. A system for providing increased bandwidth fordial-up connections into an internet service provider on a temporarybasis in response to customer demand comprising: (a) a first switch incommunication with a service control point, a second switch and a sharedmodem pool, said first switch having a first telephone access number andsaid second switch having a second telephone access number provisionedwith a trigger; and (b) a first remote authentication dial-in userservice server in communication with an access server and a secondremote authentication dial-in user service server, said access server incommunication with the shared modem pool, wherein when a call isreceived at the second switch having the second telephone access numberin a called party field, if the call cannot be terminated, the secondswitch sends a query message to the service control point, wherein theservice control point sends a response to the second switch comprisingthe second telephone access number in a calling party number field, andthe first telephone access number in the called party field, whereinwhen the first switch terminates the call to the first telephone accessnumber, the access server retrieves the second telephone access numberfrom the calling party number field, the access server answers the callon the shared modem pool, the access server receives a plurality ofdata, the access server transmits the plurality of data and the secondtelephone access number to the first remote authentication dial-in userservice server, wherein the first remote authentication dial-in userservice server identifies the second remote authentication dial-in userservice server according to the second telephone access number andtransmits the plurality of data to the second remote authenticationdial-in user service server, wherein the second remote authenticationdial-in user service server verifies the plurality of data and providesa connection instruction to the first remote authentication dial-in userservice server, wherein the first remote authentication dial-in userservice server transmits the connection instruction to the accessserver, and wherein the access server sets up a dial-up connectionaccording to the connection instruction.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the connection instruction comprises a notice of a valid user.3. The system of claim 2, wherein the dial-up connection comprises apoint-to-point protocol connection.
 4. The system of claim 1, whereinthe connection instruction comprises a notice of an invalid user.
 5. Thesystem of claim 4, wherein the dial-up connection comprises the noticeof an invalid user and a disconnection from the shared modem pool. 6.The system of claim 1, wherein the response from the service controlpoint to the switch further comprises a continue message and atermination notification request message.
 7. The system of claim 1,wherein the trigger is an automatic flexible route trigger.
 8. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the service control point further comprises adatabase for logging each call connected to the shared modem pool. 9.The system of claim 1, further comprising a means for generating a billfor using the shared modem pool.
 10. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising means for generating a plurality of reports.
 11. The systemof claim 1, further comprising a frame relay circuit for communicationsbetween the first and second remote authentication dial-in user serviceservers.
 12. The system of claim 1, wherein the service control pointcommunicates with the switch via a Common Channel Signaling System 7network.
 13. A method for providing increased bandwidth for dial-upconnections into an internet service provider on a temporary basis, inresponse to customer demand comprising the steps of: (a) provisioning atrigger on a first telephone access number on a switch; (b) when a callis received at the switch having the first telephone access number in acalled party field, if the call cannot be terminated, sending a querymessage from the switch to a service control point in response to thetrigger; (c) sending a response from the service control point to theswitch, said response comprising the first telephone access number in acalling party number field, and a second telephone access number in thecalled party field; (d) terminating the call to the second telephoneaccess number according to the response thereby connecting the call to ashared modem pool in communication with an access server; (e) retrievingthe first telephone access number from the calling party number field atthe access server, answering the call, and receiving a plurality ofdata; (f) transmitting the plurality of data and the first telephoneaccess number from the access server to a first remote authenticationdial-in user service server; (g) identifying a second remoteauthentication dial-in user service server according to the firsttelephone access number; (h) transmitting the plurality of data to thesecond remote authentication dial-in user service server; (i) verifyingthe plurality of data at the second remote authentication dial-in userservice server, and sending a connection instruction to the first remoteauthentication dial-in user service server; (j) transmitting theconnection instruction from the first remote authentication dial-in userservice server to the access server; and (k) setting up a dial-upconnection on the access server according to the connection instruction.14. The method of claim 13, wherein the response from the servicecontrol point to the switch further comprises a continue message and atermination notification request message.
 15. The method of claim 13,wherein the trigger is an automatic flexible route trigger.
 16. Themethod of claim 13, further comprising the step of logging each callconnected to the shared modem pool in a database on the service controlpoint.
 17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step ofgenerating a bill for using the shared modem pool.
 18. The method ofclaim 13, further comprising the step of generating a plurality ofreports.